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Show i Commission to Arrange National CelEhrationin 1232 qf His Birth V By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN. -T--'-:ORGE WASHINGTON, the "Father of His Country" the United States Jjl jfiMlpflwS f America, the richest, most power- jjv ftS"? ful autJ most prosperous nation ot Jl earth was born February 22, 1732. jf I jjScJj. February 22, 1932, will therefore be j I psit!JL.'.' the two hundredth anniversary of his I j? SSgt" j birth. That year is to see a bi- & p centennial celebration of his birth rj !K 1 the like of which history has never seen in honor ftft of a human being. Congress has created the ujj United States Commission for the Celebration of W- the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of jjj George Washington. President Calvin Coolidge Is !s ex-ollicio chairman of this commission and thus IS briefly outlines the purpose of the celebration and 111 t suggests its scope : yj "The two himdrprl lh nnnlvprsnrv nf General Washington's birth will be an occasion of such significance, not only to our own country but to the entire world, that it Is manifestly fitting that the American Dation should appropriately observe ob-serve it. "But beyond this it is felt that as the life, the career and the achievements of Washington belong be-long not to a single nation, but to all humanity, It is proper that the nation founded under his leadership should invite, all other nations and, peoples to join it in the observance of this anniversary. anni-versary. The character and the efforts of Washington Wash-ington have made an impression upon the whole world, so profound as to have affected the very course of history and to have touched the lives of all who today live in this world. "We cannot doubt that the Influence of Washington's Wash-ington's example, the leadership which he gave in behalf of liberal institutions and mankind's advancement ad-vancement have been among the great benefactions benefac-tions conferred upon the race. He ranks and will always rank among the foremost of those who were providentially designated to perform great and lasting services. "Every consideration of national pride in hira as an American, of gratitude for the distinctions which he brought to us as a people, and of satisfaction satis-faction in the universal recognition which has been freely rendered to his name and memory, dictates that this nation should take the lead In such a proper acknowledgement as will make the approaching bi-centennial an occasion of universal inspiration. "As it was the fortune of America to give such a character to the world, so it is the obligation of America to insure that all men shall be invited and encouraged to consider his noble example and to benefit increasingly through a better understanding under-standing of the ideals which animated his life. "For the present, it is impossible more specifically spe-cifically to suggest the purposes and character of the commemoration which it is proposed to arrange. ar-range. The commission will in due time take proper measures to enlist the interest of the nations na-tions in the observance of this inspiring anniversary." anni-versary." The United States Commission for the Celebration Celebra-tion of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of George Washington was established by joint resolution of the Sixty-eighth congress (S. J. lies. S;"i) which provides for a membership of nineteen commissioners and for other things as follows : Tlie President of the United States; presiding officer of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, ex-officlo: eight persons to be appointed by the President of the United States; four senators by the president pro tempore of the .senate; and four representatives by the speaker of the house of representatives. The commissioners shall serve without compensation and shall select a chairman from among their number. Section 2. That there Is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated the sum of 110,000 to be expended by the commission in accordance with the provisions of this resolution. Section 3. That it shall be the duty of the commissioners, com-missioners, nftcr promulgating to the American people an address relative to the reason of Its creation crea-tion and of Its purpose, to prepare a plan or plana and a program for the signalizing of the event, to commemorate which they are broucht Into being; nnd to give due and proper consideration to any plan or plans which may be submitted to them; and to take such steps as may be necessary In the co-ordination and correlation of plans prepaid by state commissions, or by bodies created under appointment ap-pointment by the governors of the respective tMcs nnd by representatWe civic bodies; and If the participation of other nations in the commemoration commemo-ration be deemed advisable, to communicate with governments of such nations. Section 4. That when the commission shall have approved of a plan of celebration, then It shall submit for their consideration and approval such plan or plans, In so far as It or they may relate to the fine arts, to the commission on flno rt t y:ry t iv- a h : ! i-- - X , Washington, for their approval, and In accordance with statutory requirements. Section 5. That the commission, after selecting a chairman and a vice chairman from among their members, may employ a secretary and such other assistants as may be needed for clerical work connected with 'the duties of the commission and may also engage the services of expert advisors; and may fix their respective compensations within the amount appropriated for such purposes. Section 8. That the commission hereby created shall expire within two years after the expiration of the celebration, December 81, 1932. . President Coolidge heads the ex-ofiicio commissioners commis-sioners and is chairman of the commission. Vice President Charles G. Dawes, as president of the Berate, comes next. Third comes the speaker of the house, Nicholas Longworth. Former Senator Thomas Sterling of South Dakota Is field secretary. secre-tary. William Tyler Page of Maryland, clerk of the house, Is executive secretary and disbursing officer. The eight members appointed by President Coolidge under the resolution were: Mrs. Anthony Wayne Cook of Pennsylvania, president general of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution ; Mrs. John Dickinson Sherman of Colorado, president pres-ident of the General Federation of Women's Clubs; Henry Ford of Michigan ; Hanford MacNider of Iowa, former commander of the American Legion and now assistant secretary secre-tary of war; C. Bascom Slemp of Washington, D. C. ; A. Lawrence Lowell, president of Harvard university uni-versity ; Edward B. Piper, Portland, Ore. ; Frank A. Munsey of New York city ; Mr. Munsey, the noted publisher, has recently died. In the current Congressional Directory the name of A. Lawrence Lowell is replaced by that of Prof. Albert BusMoIl Hart of Harvard university. uni-versity. The commissioners appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate were: Senator Simeon D. Fess of Ohio (vice chairman) chair-man) : Senator Selden F. Spencer of Missouri (deceased) (de-ceased) ; Senator Carter Glass of Virginia; Senator Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware. The commissioners appointed by the speaker of the house were : Representative Willis C. Hawley of Oregon ; Representative John Q. Tilson of Connecticut; Representative John N. Garner of Texas ; Representative Joseph W. Byrns of Tennessee: Columns could be written on this commission. Its makeup presents a worth-while cross-section of Twentieth century American life and civilization. civiliza-tion. President Coolidge, who heads It, has an enviable en-viable reputation as a student of American history and his address on George Washington last year at Cambridge on the one hundred fiftieth anniversary anni-versary of Washington's taking command of the Continental army Is a classic. Moreover, the President Is an eighth-generation American. John Coolidge, his first American ancestor was at Watertown, Mass., in 1G30 with the first of the Puritans. Vice President Dawes enjoys world-wide fame. In the World war he won his spurs by his efficiency effi-ciency In handling A. E. F. affairs in France. This was followed by the successful working of the Dawes plan of reparation under which Germany is now working out her economic rehabilitation. At home his persistent campaign to reform the United States senate rules by cutting ofT unlimited debate keeps him In the political limelight. And he, too, Is of old-time American ancestry. As to Mrs. Anthony Wayne Cook and the Daughters of the American Revolution why, everj good American knows of the "Fighting Daughters." Daugh-ters." The General Federation of Women's Clubs Is undoubtedly the most powerful organization in the United. States, with the exception of the two major political parties. It is non-political, non-sectarian non-sectarian and patriotic. Its charter is by act of congress and its membership 'is about 3,000,000. Mrs. John Dickinson Sherman, its president, Is an eighth-generation American. Her first American ancestor, John Whitney, was at Watertown, Mass., with John Coolidge and with Rev. John Sherman, her husband's first American ancestor, Henry Ford may have said that "history Is bunk," but he probably did not mean American history, Inasmuch as he is restoring the Wayside inn at Sudbury, Mass., and trying to bring back the old-time American dances. And his own history his-tory reads like a fairy tale. Senator Fess has been professor of history and college president. Senator Bayard's father, his grandfather, his great-grandfather and his great-uncle great-uncle have all been U. S. senators from Delaware. Speaker Longworth is the son-in-law of Theodore Theo-dore Roosevelt and one of the most efficient and popular men in the house. Representative Tilson Is majority leader of the house and a Spanish-American Spanish-American war veteran. Representatives Garner, Hawley and Byrns are "native sons" of their respective re-spective states. Edgar B. Piper is the Portland Oregonian editor. And so on. The group photograph was taken at the White House on the occasion of the first meeting of tha commission. The figures, left to right, front row: Senator Selden P. Spencer (deceased), Mrs. Anthony An-thony Wayne Cook, President Coolidge, Mrs. John Dickinson Sherman, Senator Simeon D. Fess (vice chairman) ; second row, Frederick H. Gillett (then speaker of the house and now senator from Massachusetts), Massa-chusetts), Representative John Q. Tilson, Representative Repre-sentative AVillis C. Hawley; top row, Frank Munsey Mun-sey (deceased), Representative Joseph W. Byrns, Senator Thomas F. Bayard, Senator Carter Glass and Hanford. MacNider. The parchment commission received by the members of the commission is a document that should be handed down with pride to future generations. gen-erations. It bears the signatures of President Calvin Coolidge nnd Secretary of State Charles E. Hughes and the Seal of the UMted States and runs as follows : CALVIN COOLIDGE President of the United States of America To all who shall see these Presents, Greeting: KNOW YE, That reposing special trust and confidence con-fidence in the Integrity and Ability of I do appoint a Member of the United States commission for the Celebration of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of George Washington and do authorize and empower to execute and fulfil the duties of this commission with all the powers and privileges thereunto of right appertaining during the pleasure of the President of the United State! for the time being. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have caused th Seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed. DONE at the City of Washing, ton, this Thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hun-(SEAL) hun-(SEAL) dred and twenty-five, and of the Independence of tht United States of America thf one hundred and forty-ninth CALVIN COOLIDGH. By the President: CHARLES E. HUGHES. Secretary of State The commission Is at work and already manj suggestions have been received from various sources. It seems practically settled already thai there will be assembled a really comprehensive collection of historical data concerning Wushirg tur nnd his times. . |